Russian media forced to delete content linked to opponent Alexei Navalny

Several Russian media said on Tuesday 1^er February, that they deleted, at the request of the authorities, articles relaying the anti-corruption investigations of the opponent Alexeï Navalny. At least nine media (Dojd, Meduza, Znak, Echo of Moscow, Svobodnye Novosti, The Village, Boumaga, YamalPro, The Moscow Times) explained that they received notifications from the telecom constable, Roskomnadzor, asking them to erase dozens of Russian-language content.

These are various articles echoing investigations by the team of anti-corruption activist and opponent Alexei Navalny, imprisoned for more than a year and considered the main opponent of Vladimir Putin.

One of these investigations, which targets senior Kremlin officials, concerns in particular the “palace” supposed Vladimir Putin on the shores of the Black Sea. Published in January 2021 on YouTube, a few days after the arrest of Mr. Navalny, this investigation has since garnered over 121 million views. The Kremlin has denied that the mansion belongs to Mr. Putin.

Avoid blocking their sites

Dojd media, Medusa, Echo of Moscow, The Moscow Times and local news agency Svobodnye Novosti announced that they had removed content requested by Roskomnadzor. Medusa said he gave in “under the threat of a blocking of its site in Russia”. The media Znak and YamalPro they also said “forced” fulfill these requirements to avoid blocking.

“Roskomnadzor demands to change reality, to clean the Internet and to cancel the facts”, denounced on Twitter Leonid Volkov, a relative in exile of Mr. Navalny. “Shameless censorship in Russia! », reacted the NGO Reporters Without Borders, also on Twitter, condemning a measure against the dissemination “inquiries of general interest”.

Contacted by Agence France-Presse, Roskomnadzor confirmed the sending of notifications to ” a certain number “ of media after receiving a request to do so from the Russian prosecutor’s office. The latter, according to Roskomnadzor, requested the removal of the contents, as they are related to an organization “extremist” banned in Russia.

In June 2021, the main organizations of Mr. Navalny were designated as “extremists” by the courts, a decision that led to their closure and legal proceedings against many of their activists. On January 25, Mr. Navalny was himself placed on the list of “terrorists and extremists”.

At the same time, the Russian authorities have continued to increase their pressure on the Internet, with fines targeting digital giants that have not removed content linked to Mr. Navalny, and by blocking opposition sites.